Improvement in sash-fasteners



1; Minn.

Sash-Fasteners.

'Patented km2?, )874.-

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4 FIDISI UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGEo JEREMIAH KEITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND..

IMPRovEMENT 1N sAsll-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. 146,765, dated January 27, 1874; application `-iiled December 22, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH KEITH, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Sash-Supporter, of which the following is a specification:

,'Inithe accompanying drawing like letters indicate like parts.

. Figure 1 is aI perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 shows the finger-piece or lever detached.

My invention is designed to support and hold a window-sash in any desired position by means of a bent spring of peculiar form pressing against the inner surface of the windowframe, and operated by a cam-headed lever or finger -piece interposed between the spring and case, for setting or releasing the spring at will.

fA metallic ease, A, is inserted in a mortise in the stile of the window-sash and fastened by the screws a a. Within this case is a long spring, B, bent, as shown in Fig. 2, its upper end ,fastened to the case by the screw b, by which also the stiffness of the spring may be regulated, and its lower or free end fastenedinto a bow-shaped curve, which is the partV pressing against the inner surface of the window-frame, and thereby sustaining the weight of the sash. At the central point of this curveis an opening, c, made to receive the corresponding knob of the locking-plate O, which is sunk` into a mortise of the windowframe. By this device the sash is locked down. Through a slot in the stile of the sash a long curved finger-piece or lever, D, works,

' which passes through an elongated opening in the spring D. The lever D has a rectangular or other cam-shaped head, d, which projects on both sides. This head d, as the leverA is raised, braces against a shoulder, e, made in the case A, and, as it cannot move farther in that direction, it takes a rotarymotion, the upper edge of the head sliding along and bearing against the case A, while the lower edge forces back the spring B until the head d has been brought to nearly a horizontal position, when the spring is set and rmly held back in place. By thus elevating the finger-piece D, the lower or projecting V'curved portion of the spring is withdrawn within the case A, whereby it is disengaged from the locking-piece O and its knob. The windowsash can then be raised to any desired height then the finger-piece is lowered, and thespring spring must be kept back by a constant power exerted upon theelever at the same time and so long as the sash is moving; sometimes the` power must be applied to the lever in a direction directly opposite to that required for the moving of the` sash. As the spring is held back by main force', `it is not entirely free from pressure against the window-frame, and gradually, by friction, wears into the` windowframe, at lastrende'ring the invention less et'- riicient; but with-"my invention the spring is set immovably inn position by means of my cam-headed lever,="'and,` being wholly withdrawn from the window-frame, does not wear into it or bearagainst it while the sash is moving, and moreover no power whatever is applied or neededf upon the lever at any time' when the sash isffin motion. Again, the 1ever, as shown in "his specification, is pivoted within the cas e,`*tlie fulcruln remaining always the same,'while the force required to draw back the spring is continually increasing during the operation; but in mine, the lever being free, andg'sliding in the peculiar manner shown, requires'- a constant]y-decreasing power during the operation, the leverage increasing rapidlyasthe finger-piece is raised.

I claim as a' novel and useful invention, and desire to secure Vby Letters Patentp The combined sash supporter and fastener, consisting of the slotted case A, the bent spring B having the bow-shaped curve and openingc, the cam-headed lever D interposed between the sp1-ing and case, its free end projecting as a thumb-piece, and the lockingplate O, all

constructed, arranged, and operating substantiantially as described and shown, for the purpose set forth.

' b i. J EREMIAII KEITH.

Witnesses:

DANIEL W.:I1`I NK,

J Enel/12E C. TAEr. 

